Embouchure arch



May 5, 1953 2. SWANSON 2,637,239 EMBOUCHURE ARCH Filed March 18, 1949 Swanson Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMBOUCHURE ARCH Ziegner Swanson, De Kalb, Ill.

Application March 18, 1949, Serial No. 82,207

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a new and improved tone aid for flutes and the like in the form that I prefer to call an embouchure arch, the same being designed to be used on the mouthpiece of the flute to assist beginners in holding the mouthpiece in the correct relationship to the lip for good tone production.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 shows a flute being played that is equipped with my improved mouthpiece arch;

Fig. 2 is another view of the flute player taken from the side to better illustrate the relationship of the arch to the players upper lip;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the arch removed from the instrument;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the mouthpiece of a flute showing the arch applied thereto and,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in the five views.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 6 designates the flute and 1 the mouthpiece portion thereof having the usual hole 8 provided therein through which the player is supposed to blow at a predetermined angle in relation to the mouthpiece for good tone production. Beginners experience the most difficulty in holding the mouthpiece I in the correct relationship to the lips for good tone production and I have therefore designed the inverted U-shaped :arch 9 to straddle the hole 8 and have its arcuate :feet l0 so adjusted circumferentially of the mouthpiece relative to the hole 8 as will best suit 'the mouth of the player, the arch 9 extending upwardly in a substantially radial plane with re- :spect to the mouthpiece 1 resting against the front of the upper lip under the players nose, so that the player placing the instrument in position to play gets the mouthpiece I at the correct angle with respect to his mouth at once and will have no trouble in keeping the mouthpiece in that position. There are grooves II in the top portions of the feet [0 and a fine silk cord or the like can be wound around the mouthpiece I at each end thereof as shown at I2 in Fig. 4, entering the grooves H to fasten the arch 9 in place more or less temporarily, so that the arch can be adjusted circumferentially with respect to the mouthpiece and when the correct adjustment has been determined the feet 10 can then be cemented or soldered to the mouthpiece 7 for a more or less permanent mounting.

In operation, the arch 9 resting against the upper lip of the player insures correct positioning of the mouthpiece 1 so that the player can produce a good tone every time. It is best to locate the mouthpiece with respect to the upper lip because the upper lip is supported by the upper teeth and there is, therefore, a good foundation upon which to work. It would not b nearly as easy nor as satisfactory to attempt to locate the mouthpiece with respect to the chin or lower lip. For one thing, the upper lip remains substantially stationary throughout the playing of the instrument, whereas the lower lip is subjected to a certainamount of movement. An all-around wind instrument performer will find it easy to change from a axophone, clarinet, oboe, or cup mouthpiece instrument to the flute when the flute is equipped with my improved mouthpiece arch, because that will relieve him of the uneasiness with regard to his not producing the right tones. A beginner is immediately encouraged in his study of the flute when it is equipped with my improved mouthpiece arch because he produces the right tones immediately. For more experienced players the arch is a great help in playing the instrument in tune. Unlike other tone aids the present arch lets the performer still govern the tones of the instrument with his lips. The arch prevents the player rolling the flute to produce higher and lower tones, rolling of the flute being highly objectionable because it invariably results in playing more or less out of tune.

While I have made reference mainly to the use of the present invention on flutes, it must be understood that it is adapted for use on all flutelike instruments, such as the piccolo and fifes of various sizes. The arch will be made of different sizes and slightly different in shape to suit the preferences of different players, it being contemplated that players will make such slight changes as they may see fit, in the same way as reed instrument players adjust their reeds and cup mouthpiece players adjust mouthpieces. The arch will not interfere with placing the flute in the accustomed way in a carrying case, and it can be made of silver or any other suitable metal, and may also be made of a suitable plastic material. If desired, the arch may be fastened to the mouthpiece by frictionally clamping the same in position by means of split flexible bands that are attached at one end to the feet 10 and designed to encircle the mouthpiece similarly as the cords l2 and have their free ends drawn up tightly toward the rear ends of the feet by screws entered through holes in the free ends of the bands and 3 threaded in the projecting rear end portions of the feet [0. That enables easy removal of an arch from one flute and attachment to another, when that becomes necessary and a fiute is not marred by such removal or attachment.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and; adaptations,

I claim:

1. In a wind instrument of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion which a hole is provided, of an inverted gen,- erally U-shaped arch adapted for instrument positioning engagement with an appreciable area of the front of the upper lip of a player, said arch being supported in straddling relationship to said hole and in a plane longitudinally of' the flute and disposed substantially radially with respect to the'mouthpiece portion, the opening between the legs of the U'-s haped arch permitting the player to direct his blowing through the arch and across the hole in the mouthpiece.

2. Awind instrument as set forth in claim 1', wherein the "arch is adjustable around the mouthpiece to different'radial positions to suit the individual requirements of any given player.

3.-In a'windinstruinent of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion in which a-hole is provided; of an inverted generally U-shaped arch'adapted for instrument positioning-engagementwithanappreciable area of the front of the upper-lip ofaplayer, said arch being supported in straddling relationship to said hole and ma plane longitudinally of the flute and disposed substantially radially with respect to the mouthpiece portion, the arch having arcuate supportingieet to:fit an arcuate periphery on the mouthpiece and these feet being adjustable around the mouthpiece in'either direction to position the arch'drfierently" radially of the mouthpiece to'suit different'players.

4. In awindinstrument of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion in which'a hole" is provided, of an inverted generally U-shaped' arch'adapted for instrument positioning engagementiivith an appreciable area of the front ofthe upper lip of a player, said arch being-supported in straddling relationship to said hole and'in a plane longitudinally of the flute and disposed substantially radially with respect to the mouthpiece portion, the arch having arcuate "supporting feetrto fit an arcuate periphery on the mouthpiece and these feet being adjustable around the mouthpiece in either direction to position the. arch differently radially of the mouthpiece to suit difierent players, the tops of said supporting feet having grooves provided therein extending lengthwise thereof adapted to receive fastening cords passed around the mouthpiece.

5. Ina wind instrument of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion in which a hole is provided, of an inverted generally ll-shaped arch adapted for instrument positioning engagement with an appreciable area of the front of the upper lip of 'a player, said archbeing supported in straddling re lationship to said hole and in a plane longitudinally of the fiutejandsdisposed substantially radially with re pect to the mouthpiece portion, the arch extending; upwardly high enough to reach about halfway from, the players upper'lip proper tojhisnose.

said arch comprising an 6. In a wind instrument of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion in which a hole is provided of a tone aid attachment for the mouthpiece providing a rigid substantially vertical abutment for engagement with an appreciable area of the front of the players face only above the upper lip and providing a vent opening through the abutment through which the player is free to blow across said hole in the mouthpiece while playing the; instrument with the abutment in engagement over his upper hp.

'7. In a wind instrument of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion in which a hole is provided of a tone aid attachmerit for the mouthpiece providing a rigid substantially vertical abutment fcr engagement with an appreciable area of the front of the players face only above the upper lip and providing a vent opening through the abutment through which the player is free to blow while playing the instrument with the abutment in engagement over hisupper lip, the abutment being of such height and the vent opening of such size inrelation to the abutment that a bar is. defined transverseiy of the top portion of said abutment to bear on the players upper lip. at about the upper gum line. Y

8. As an article or" manufacture, a mouthpiece arch for application to the mouthpiece of a flute, piccolo, or fife, to assist in holding the instrument correctly in relation to the mouth, saidarch comprising an inverted generally U- shaped body of substantially cylindrical rod-like material having elongated, transversely extending foot portions on the lower ends of the legs thereof, the U-shaped body being of a height representing a large, fraction of the height dimension of an adult human upper lip measured from lip proper to bottom of nose, and the width of which body measured across the lower end is slightly greater than said height.

9. As an articleof manufacture, a mouthpiece arch for application to the mouthpiece of a flute, piccolo, or fife, .to assist in holding the instrument correctly in relation to the mouth, said arch comprising an inverted generally U-shaped body of substantially cylindrical rodli-ke material having elongated, transversely extending foot portions on the lower ends of the legs thereof, the U-shaped body being of a height representing a large fraction of the height di mensicn of an adult human upper lip measured from lip proper to bottom of nose, and the width ofwhich body measured across the lower end is slightly greater than; said height, the bottoms of said supporting foot portions being concavely arcuate; and matching in radius the radius of the periphery of the mouthpiece of the wind instrument on which the article is to be used.

10. As an article oi ma-nufacture, a mouthpiece arch for application'to the mouthpiece of a flute, piccolo, or fife, to assist in holding the instrument correctly in relation to the mouth, inverted generally U-shaped body of substantially cylindrical rodlilce material having elongated, transversely extending'foot portions on the lower ends of the legs thereof, the U-shaped body being of a height representinga large'iraction of the height dimension ofan adulthun" nupper lip measured from lip proper to bottom of noseand the width oi which body measured across the lower endis slightly greater than said height, the bottoms of sa d supp rt n -toot; portions ,being' concayely 5 arcuate and matching in radius the radius of the periphery of the mouthpiece of the wind instrument on which the article is to be used, the tops of said foot portions having longitudinally extending grooves provided therein.

11. In a wind instrument of the flute type, the combination with the mouthpiece portion in which a hole is provided of a tone aid attachment for the mouthpiece, providing an abutment for engagement with the players face only on a line substantially parallel to the mouthpiece and spaced above the upper lip, leaving a vent opening below the abutment through which the player is free to blow across said hole in the mouthpiece while playing the instrument with said abutment in engagement over his upper lip, said abutment being in a predetermined radial plane with respect to said mouthpiece and forwardly at a predetermined angle with respect to a radial plane through the mouthpiece passing through the center of said hole.

12. As an article of manufacture, a tone aid attachment for application to the mouthpiece of 6 a flute, piccolo, or fife to assist in holding the instrument correctly in relation to the mouth, said attachment comprising a body having one portion of elongated form for abutment crosswise cf the face of a player on a line spaced upwardly from the upper lip but below the bottom of the nose, and another portion in transverse contiguous relation to one end of the first portion for support thereof, and having an attaching portion on that end remote from the first portion to rest on the mouthpiece for application thereto.

ZIEGNER SWANSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,767,998 Parkinson June 24, 1930 2,499,855 Gamble Mar. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,318 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1904 

